Baseball fans are counting the days. 2018 spring training is about to get underway. For the Cactus League, 15 major league teams head to the Greater Phoenix area to practice cracking bats under sunny skies.

With so many teams and stadiums in close proximity to each other, catching numerous games in play is easy. Well, in theory at least. With so much to see in the desert that isn’t tied to a baseball field, fans may have some tough choices to make. Continue reading “Spring Training 2018”

Seeing new places is what travel is all about. Visiting somewhere new to you typically comes with a sense of excitement. But if you’re up for a little adventure, you can reap big rewards by taking your sightseeing to new heights.

Snorkeling provides one of the best opportunities to watch wildlife in the Galapagos Islands. Granted, I’ll admit I have a thing for being in the water, every time you put on a mask and snorkel you are rewarded in the Galapagos. Unlike diving it doesn’t require any special training or certification, you just need to be comfortable in the water.. Continue reading “Snorkeling the Galapagos Islands”

When planning a winter vacation, Europe isn’t typically the first spot to jump to mind.

You’ll need to pack more layers, so your suitcase may be a little heavier. But in most cases, the crowds will lighter. So, travelling off-season is worth the trade-off. And the costs of plane tickets.. I bet you’ll like that too.

Wine country is open for business and welcoming visitors. Along with those 800-plus wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties, a number of extras are coming together to give visitors even more reasons to come.

Big cities have big name recognition with travelers, especially when planning a once-in-a-lifetime type trip to a destination like Europe. But getting out of town, and leaving those well-known cities behind, can come with big benefits.

Paris, London, Rome and Amsterdam. They’re all big cities, and even if you’ve never been, you tend to know a decent amount about them. Leave city limits – and all bets are off. But in Amsterdam, that’s a good thing.

The devastation in Northern California wine country is unprecedented. The images – particularly of neighborhoods in Santa Rosa, my hometown, are horrifying. But it doesn’t matter where you live, truthfully. Folks around the world watched the scenes play out in disbelief. I was in Ecuador when I received a text from my neighbor asking if I was going to evacuate. That’s how I found out about the wildfires ravaging Napa and Sonoma. Even there, folks knew what was going on in my hometown.